West Garfield Park Grieves 16-Year-Old David Mason Jr.: Teen Fatally Shot in Daylight as Chicago’s Gun Violence Crisis Deepens

CHICAGO, IL — October 21, 2025 — Tragedy struck West Garfield Park this afternoon as 16-year-old David Mason Jr. was fatally shot, marking yet another heartbreaking chapter in Chicago’s long and painful struggle with gun violence. The shooting, which occurred in broad daylight, has left a family shattered and a community once again grappling with the devastating reality of losing a child to senseless violence.

According to the Chicago Police Department, officers responded to reports of shots fired around 3:45 p.m. near the 4300 block of West Monroe Street. When they arrived, they found David suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency responders transported him to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Investigators have yet to release details about the shooter or the motive, and as of Monday evening, no arrests have been made.

Witnesses described a sudden eruption of gunfire that sent bystanders scrambling for safety. “It happened so fast — one moment everything was quiet, and the next we heard shots,” said a nearby resident. “When I saw that boy on the ground, I just started praying. He was so young.”

David, affectionately known as “DJ” to those close to him, was a student at a local high school and a young man with big dreams. Family members say he loved basketball and music and had recently talked about wanting to attend college to study business. “He was just a kid trying to make it,” said his aunt. “He wasn’t in the streets. He wanted something better for himself and for us.”

Neighbors remember him as polite, soft-spoken, and full of potential. “DJ was one of those kids who always said ‘yes ma’am’ and ‘no sir,’” said a neighbor who had known him since childhood. “He’d help me carry my groceries or shovel snow in the winter. He had a good heart.”

In the hours following the tragedy, heartbroken family members and friends gathered near the scene to create a makeshift memorial — a small patch of sidewalk now covered in candles, flowers, and handwritten notes. Among them were classmates who cried and hugged one another, struggling to understand how a life so young could end so violently.

David’s mother, surrounded by loved ones, was inconsolable. “He was my baby,” she said through tears. “He didn’t deserve this. None of our kids deserve this.”

Community leaders and anti-violence advocates have condemned the shooting, calling for renewed efforts to protect the city’s youth. “Every time a young person is killed, a piece of this community dies with them,” said Pastor Jerome Brooks, who has worked with local outreach programs in West Garfield Park. “We can’t keep losing our sons and daughters to gunfire. We need resources, jobs, and love — not more blood on our streets.”

Chicago’s West Side, including West Garfield Park, has long faced challenges with gun violence, poverty, and limited youth programs. Residents say they feel trapped in a cycle of fear and loss, where every day brings the possibility of another tragedy. “We’re tired of living like this,” said one mother at the scene. “We need change — and we need it now.”

Police have urged anyone with information about the shooting to come forward, assuring the community that all tips will remain anonymous. The department’s homicide unit continues to investigate, with detectives canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance footage.

As candles flicker in the evening wind and the cries of grieving parents echo through the neighborhood, the loss of David Mason Jr. stands as yet another painful reminder of the toll gun violence takes on Chicago’s families.

He was just 16 years old — a student, a son, a dreamer — whose future was stolen far too soon. And for those left behind, the question remains: how many more young lives must be lost before the violence finally stops?